Virginia Beach Woman Sentenced For Embezzlement

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman was sentenced today to 46 months for embezzling over $300,000 from her former employer.

According to court documents and evidence presented in Court, Vernell Collins, 52, was employed by a Virginia Beach company as a Personal Injury Protection claims adjuster starting in April 2013. From April 2013 through August 2015, Collins caused the company to send reimbursement checks directly to her, endorsed the checks as “parent of minor,” and cashed the checks at her local bank.  Collins stole over $300,000 from the company before she was found through a routine audit. After being discovered and confronted, Collins then applied for and was employed by the City of Norfolk as a Safety Specialist until July 2017.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and George D. Purefoy, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17cr77.